A newly conducted study indicates that the rise of the Salem Witch Trials was significantly influenced by the early printed book Malleus Maleficarum, which depicted witchcraft as a conspiratorial threat. This book served not only as a guide for witch-hunters but also drastically altered societal perceptions towards witches, leading to fear and mass executions.
The research highlights the role of ideational diffusion, which involves the spread of new ideas leading people to reinterpret the world and change their behavior. The teachings of Malleus Maleficarum traveled with colonists to the US, contributing to the belief system that incited witch hunts.
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